Chapter 215 : Sudden Occurrence
Chapter 215: Sudden Occurrence
“These past days, you’ve worked hard.”
Chen Ming gently stroked the spine of the Phoenix Cry Sword, his movements tender, as if caressing a lover’s back.
The Phoenix Cry Sword trembled faintly.
He spoke softly, “I know. Don’t worry, I am here.”
At this, the Phoenix Cry Sword shivered a few times before gradually calming down.
With the Controlling Artifact Art advancing to the fourth layer, he discovered that he could seemingly understand the words of the Phoenix Cry Sword. This feeling was rather mysterious.
In truth, the sword’s spirit had not regained its spiritual consciousness—it had merely recovered some instinct. It could not communicate with its master, at most only issue a warning.
It was just like an infant who could not yet speak, only crying loudly when hungry.
Now, it was as though he had mastered “infant speech,” able to discern meaning within the cries of a child.
During these days, the Phoenix Cry Sword had nearly exhausted all its strength suppressing the Undying Demon Venerable. In its hazy consciousness, it knew only one thing: that this villain wanted to harm its master, and thus it must never let him escape.
In fact, with the strength of the Phoenix Cry Sword alone, it should have been impossible to suppress the primordial spirit of the Undying Demon Venerable. It was all thanks to that cluster of golden divine flame.
That golden flame seemed to be the nemesis of the Undying Demon Venerable, wrapping tightly around him and trapping him within the Phoenix Cry Sword.
Only now did Chen Ming realize that the Undying Demon Venerable had not been extinguished by the flame. On the contrary, he was gradually corroding it, seemingly attempting to merge with the golden flame.
Once the two forces fused, the Phoenix Cry Sword would no longer be able to contain him. If he broke free, it would spell disaster.
“Let’s deal with the trouble at hand first.”
Exhaling deeply, he pushed the thought aside. Leaving the courtyard, he went to find Xia Mudan.
…
“Big Brother.”
Xia Mudan was eating. Her complexion looked much better. Seeing him enter, she put down her bowl and struggled to get out of bed.
“Don’t move, just lie down.”
Chen Ming stepped forward, pressing her hand gently to signal her to stay in bed, before taking her pulse.
Xia Mudan said, “I have already sent someone with a letter to Wanlei City. Once Father exits seclusion and sees it, he will rush over.”
From her pulse, Chen Ming assessed her current condition. After pondering a moment, he said, “I may be able to try removing the sword intent within your body, but I don’t have complete confidence. So, I wanted to ask your opinion.”
“Go ahead.” Xia Mudan looked at him with clear, bright eyes and said, “I believe you. Zhiqin, wait outside.”
“Yes.”
The maidservant Zhiqin bowed and stepped out.
Seeing her trust him so much, Chen Ming felt a touch of emotion. He gripped the hilt of the Phoenix Cry Sword and said gently, “It may hurt a little. Bear with it.”
“Mm.” Xia Mudan closed her eyes.
Buzz!
An indescribable power surged from the Phoenix Cry Sword. Golden light tinged with violet shone from the blade, a blend of sacredness and demonic strangeness.
He not only invoked the power of the golden flame within the sword, but also drew upon a trace of the Undying Demon Venerable’s might.
“Break for me!”
Chen Ming drew the sword and slashed toward Xia Mudan, who lay on the bed.
Swish!
The sword tip halted precisely at the center of her brow. At the same time, deep within her body, a dormant, overwhelming sword intent was stirred awake and burst forth.
The two sword intents collided—and annihilated each other almost instantly.
Xia Mudan spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted on the spot, her face as pale as paper.
Chen Ming sheathed the sword and immediately checked her pulse.
“Young Miss—”
Zhiqin, who had been anxiously listening outside, could not hold back and rushed in. Seeing her mistress unconscious, looking even more gravely wounded, she panicked.
Chen Ming said, “She is fine. The sword intent within her has been removed. With the root cause gone, her cultivation will ensure she recovers quickly. Take good care of her.”
He released her wrist, pulled up her quilt to tuck her in, and then turned to leave.
…
The Hall of Sentiments and Righteousness was the base of the Sentiments Lineage of the Eight Righteous Gates, used especially for receiving guests.
The disciples of this lineage were known for their wide connections and numerous friends.
Yesterday, Ruan Caihong had said that Su Zhi Ning was there, and that befriending her showed just how capable the disciples of this hall were.
Chen Ming, together with Deng Wei, went to the hall. In order to meet Su Zhi Ning smoothly, he even borrowed Ruan Caihong’s name.
Otherwise, Su Zhi Ning might not agree to see him.
After all, he was currently Gu Xianyu—Su Zhi Ning’s admirer.
“Deng Wei of the Six Doors Authority, under the order of Lord Ruan, seeks an audience with Miss Su of Heaven’s Path Alliance. Please announce us.” Deng Wei stepped forward to speak.
Before long, the messenger returned and led them inside.
The disciple of the hall said, “Gentlemen, there is a rule in the Hall of Sentiments and Righteousness: no fighting within these premises. Please abide by it.”
Chen Ming replied, “Rest assured, we are not here to make an arrest.”
Once reassured, the man guided them further inside.
The hall was grand and luxuriously decorated, filled with guests and as lively as an inn.
Chen Ming noticed that the guests were diverse. He even spotted a few dressed like countryside hunters.
He sighed, “It is said that the disciples of the Hall of Sentiments and Righteousness befriend all without regard to birth. Seeing it today, the reputation is indeed deserved.”
Of course, the two of them—officers of the Six Doors Authority—stood out like sore thumbs. The moment they entered, nearly everyone glanced at them, whispering among themselves.
They passed through the front hall, exited through a large door, and came to a garden.
Soon, the attendant led Chen Ming and Deng Wei to a courtyard and announced, “Miss Su, they have arrived.”
A voice replied from inside, “Let them in.”
It was not Su Zhi Ning’s voice.
“Please enter.”
The man pushed the door open and gestured for them to go inside.
Chen Ming and Deng Wei walked in. Inside was a refined garden filled with flowers and plants. They were not particularly rare species, but the arrangement gave it a unique elegance.
Within sat three people—one man, one woman, and Su Zhi Ning—who all raised their heads toward them.
The unfamiliar woman looked Chen Ming up and down. Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
“Gu Xianyu? So it’s you.”
Chen Ming looked at her doubtfully, “How should I address you, young lady? And how do you recognize me?”
The woman clapped her hands, her face lighting up with delight. “It really is you! Your name has already spread throughout Xiazhou City. Such a genius, I have long wanted to meet you. My name is Wu Xiaolan, a disciple of the Hall of Sentiments and Righteousness. This is my senior brother, Zhou Wentao.”
Zhou Wentao?
Chen Ming’s heart gave a jolt. This was the very man who had injured Xia Mudan. Unexpectedly, he had truly encountered him.
His face remained calm. “So it is the elite disciples of the Hall of Sentiments and Righteousness. I have long heard your names.”
The two were not very old, about thirty years of age. Wu Xiaolan was taller than most men, though her proportions were well-balanced. If reduced by twenty percent, she would definitely be a great beauty.
Zhou Wentao was quite handsome, with a refined and scholarly air. He sported two thin mustaches, appearing approachable, with no trace of a Second Grade expert about him.
Since Chen Ming had entered, Zhou Wentao had fixed his eyes upon him.
At this time, Su Zhi Ning spoke, “They came to see me.”
Wu Xiaolan caught the hint immediately and said, “Then we won’t disturb you further. I’ll come find you this afternoon.” She then pulled her senior brother away.
…
Once outside, Wu Xiaolan asked Zhou Wentao, “Senior brother, why were you staring at that Gu Xianyu just now? Could it be jealousy that he won the beauty?”
Zhou Wentao did not laugh. Instead, he frowned. “Strange. Why does this person carry the aura of the Heartless Sword?”
“What?” Wu Xiaolan was startled. “How can that be? Senior brother, you haven’t used the Heartless Sword recently, have you?”
“Not long ago, I used it once. I did not expect that man to be acquainted with this Gu Xianyu. Moreover, their relationship is far from simple.”
Wu Xiaolan was shocked. For her senior brother to use the Heartless Sword, it must have involved a close friend. If so, then…
“Senior brother, what do you plan to do?”
Zhou Wentao merely shook his head and did not intend to tell her.
…
In the garden, Su Zhi Ning looked at Gu Xianyu and Deng Wei, her tone cold. “Ruan Caihong sent you here. What is it about?”
Chen Ming gazed at this woman who had once fought side by side with him, who had been willing to risk her life for him. His emotions stirred as he lowered his head. “Miss Su, forgive the intrusion. It is concerning a grave matter. This must not be leaked, especially not to the Eight Righteous Gates. So, may we find another place to speak in detail?”
Su Zhi Ning stared at him for a moment, then said, “Very well.”
She led them out through the back door and boarded a carriage.
Not long after, the carriage stopped, and the three entered a quiet, secluded residence.
Su Zhi Ning said, “Now you may speak.”
Chen Ming said, “I have a lead concerning the Nine Nether Sect.”
Su Zhi Ning’s cold gaze sharpened, her brows stern. “Speak!”
He turned to his subordinate. “Deng Wei, tell Miss Su everything you know.”
Deng Wei then recounted the matter in full detail.
Su Zhi Ning listened attentively, asked a few questions, and then fell into deep thought.
After a while, she asked gravely, “Who else knows of this?”
Chen Ming replied, “Only the three of us.”
“Why not inform the Six Doors Authority?”
He did not answer, instead saying to Deng Wei, “Deng Wei, you return first. I will discuss further with Miss Su.”
After Deng Wei left, Chen Ming said, “Lord Zhong is currently in seclusion. The other two inspectors are away. Only Hong Yuze and Ruan Caihong remain. I fear there may be spies around them, so I dare not tell them. After much thought, I could only come to you, Miss Su.”
Su Zhi Ning fell into contemplation. After a while, she slowly said, “Those disciples of the Nine Nether Sect dare to set their sights on that demonic sword. Their strength must be formidable, not something I can handle alone.”
He asked in surprise, “Could it be, young lady, that you came to Xiazhou by yourself?”
“Not quite. A martial uncle accompanied me, but I do not know where he is now. In the short term, I fear I cannot reach him.”
“What should we do, then? Now is a heaven-sent opportunity to capture them all at once. If we miss it, once they hide away, finding them will be like searching for a needle in the ocean.”
Su Zhi Ning decisively said, “Come. Let us find Hong Yuze first.”
Chen Ming asked, “And Lord Ruan?”
“Ruan Caihong may no longer be reliable.”
Her thoughts clearly matched Chen Ming’s.
Chen Ming suggested, “We should act separately, so as not to arouse suspicion.”
“Agreed.”
As she watched his departing figure, Su Zhi Ning’s cold eyes flashed with a trace of doubt. For some reason, she felt that this Gu Xianyu, whom she had only met once before, had changed greatly.
Compared to the last time, he was like a completely different person.
Moreover, she could not shake the sense of familiarity about him—especially when he spoke, it was as if…
Soon, she shook her head, dismissing the thought. The matter at hand was more important.
…
Chen Ming had not told Su Zhi Ning about Zhou Yilan, for he had no way to explain why Zhou Yilan had mistaken him for the Holy Son of the Nine Nether Sect.
Such a thing could never be clarified. When a disciple of the Nine Nether Sect personally acknowledged him as their Holy Son, who would doubt it?
At that point, it would be a matter of killing just to be safe.
He had no desire to test human loyalty.
As for confessing his true identity to Su Zhi Ning, there was not the slightest benefit. In the end, there would only be two possible outcomes.
First, Su Zhi Ning would uphold righteousness over kinship and personally kill him, the one who had been possessed by the Undying Demon Venerable.
Second, Su Zhi Ning would abandon the righteous path in her heart, her Dao heart broken, her cultivation forever stagnant—just like that courtesan Mudan of Tianxiang Tower in Jiangzhou City.
Even if he told her that he had not been possessed by the Undying Demon Venerable, she would not believe it.
Such things could not be proven. Even if he revealed the primordial spirit of the Demon Venerable sealed within the Phoenix Cry Sword, the result would be the same.
So many eyes had witnessed the Undying Demon Venerable enter his body.
That monster had rampaged across the world, even Celestial Realm experts could not kill him. A single glance could plant a restriction, turning one into his puppet—let alone when he had entered the body itself.
The most terrifying aspect of the Undying Demon Venerable was that after possessing someone, he would gain all their memories. His disguise could deceive even the closest kin.
In those years, when the Undying Demon Venerable wreaked havoc across the world, the Heaven’s Path Alliance had unleashed all its might, but could not subdue him.
In the end, they could only rally the great sects of the realm and resort to the most ruthless measure: to kill everyone who had come into contact with the Undying Demon Venerable. Only then did they corner him, finally suppressing him.
That battle had claimed countless lives.
Chen Ming had sought out the Six Doors Authority’s records of the war. The files contained only a few lines, yet behind them lay innumerable deaths.
When the Heaven’s Path Alliance grew ruthless, it was ruthless beyond compare.
In terms of sheer numbers slain, even the entire Cult of Eternal Life might not match the Heaven’s Path Alliance.
…
When Chen Ming returned to the Six Doors Authority, he learned that Ruan Caihong had not come that day. He went straight to the prison to “spar” with the Third Grade prisoners, harvesting experience points.
To his surprise, Deng Wei was absent. “Where is Deng Wei?” he asked.
Lei Chun replied, “Just now, someone from his family came. They said something urgent required him to return.”
Chen Ming felt something was off. Could the Nine Nether Sect have noticed something?
He nodded, asking no more, and entered the prison with several subordinates.
Among these subordinates, there might still be spies of the Nine Nether Sect. Therefore, he could not act strangely. He decided to wait until later to seek Deng Wei.
As usual, Chen Ming went to the torture chamber and had the Third Grade prisoners brought out one by one.
Finally, when the fifth prisoner was brought forth, Deng Wei arrived at last, signaling frantically with his eyes.
Chen Ming understood and had Lei Chun, who had come with him, step outside.
Inside the torture chamber, only Chen Ming, Deng Wei, and the Third Grade prisoner remained.
At this moment, Deng Wei could no longer hold back, his face anxious. “My lord, it is bad. They’ve decided to act today.”
“Today?”
So soon?
Chen Ming was shocked. Zhou Yilan had not even sent word.